Interviews

The interview is one of the most useful tools for employers looking to evaluate potential employees but it also allows you the opportunity to determine if the company and position are a good fit for you.

Employer's Interview Goal

1. Find out what the candidate knows, their knowledge, skills, abilities, and characteristics that indicate their potential to succeed in the position/company
2. Learn how their work skills have been applied and tested in actual situations
3. Determine where their talents lie for future growth and development

Your Interview Goal

1. Get the job by standing out from the other candidates for the right reasons: displaying good judgment, competence, professionalism, honesty, and confidence in your skills and abilities
2. Show my true self so the right job that matches my qualifications, talents, and passions will follow

Types Of Interviews

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW

Some companies use phone interviews to screen potential candidates to narrow down the candidate pool. Remember…phone interviews are as much of an interview as a face-to-face interview. Typically, the primary goal is to determine if the applicant would be worth bringing in for a face-to-face interview. Phone interview questions will typically revolve around your qualifications, interests, and what you are looking for in a position or company. It is a fact finding mission. ( Tip Sheet PDF )

ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEW

Similar to the telephone interview, campus interviews are an opportunity to screen several candidates at the convenience of the student. Employers typically conduct several 30 minute interviews in one day to make better use of their time. ( Tip Sheet PDF )

TRADITIONAL/FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW

You will be asked basic, straightforward questions about you, your education and experiences. Traditional interviews tend to focus on your preferred ways of interacting, how you would handle hypothetical situations, and if you are a “fit.” They are typically organized around your resume. Traditional interviews are becoming less common but you may still find some traditional interview questions built into the increasingly more common behavioral-based and case study interviews. ( Tip Sheet PDF )

BEHAVIORAL INTERVIEW

With behavioral based interviews, the interviewer wants to hear how you handled an actual situation, not what you might do in the future or hypothetically. They are based on the principle that past performance indicates future performance. The questions will be pointed, probing, and more specific than the generalized questions used in traditional interviews. The employer knows what skills they need in the person they hire and will conduct the interview to find out if you have those skills. ( Tip Sheet PDF )

CASE STUDY / SITUATIONAL INTERVIEWS

This type of interview is typically used to evaluate your analytical skills, creativity, communications skills, flexibility, thinking/working under pressure, listening skills, interpersonal skills, professionalism, command of the subject matter, and problem solving abilities. The recruiter is looking to see how you tackle the situation, arrive at your solution, and communicate the solution. You will need to carefully explain each step in your thought process and alternatives/obstacles/factors considered in order to show the recruiter how you deal with a situation. Case study interviews are meant to be interactive; it’s ok to ask questions. ( Tip Sheet PDF )

After The Interview

Thank You

Many applicants don’t bother to send a thank you note to the interviewer or hiring manager. With the amount of competition in today’s market, taking the time to show your appreciation for their time and consideration may very well give you an edge over the competition.

• Personalize your letter to each individual who participated in the interview
• Keep it brief
  • Thank the interviewer
  • Restate your interest
  • Address a topic that arose during your meeting
  • Re-emphasize a skill or strength important to the interviewer/company/position
  • Offer the opportunity to contact you for further information
  • Close expressing your interest and how you look forward to hearing from him/her soon.
• Send within 24 hours of the interview, a maximum of two days later
• Check your spelling! If you did not receive the business card of the individual you are addressing the thank you note to, call the main number and verify the spelling of each name with the receptionist/operator.

Follow-up

• Remember, the hiring process takes time
• Follow-up with the interviewer if you have not heard from them within 10 business days
• If the interviewer stated you will hear from them by a certain date, wait until the date has passed before contacting them to follow-up
• If you find out you were not selected, remain positive…you gained experience in the interview process and met some great people
• Do not get discouraged, finding a job can be a long process but you are gaining practice in interviewing and a better understanding of yourself along the way